


Parhelion

by RainyJadedMeadows



Category: Bleach
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-11 01:10:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17437025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainyJadedMeadows/pseuds/RainyJadedMeadows





	1. Prologue

I was going to tell him. Honest, I was. It was all perfectly planned in my mind. On the last day of high school, I was going to confess. 

But the moment I was behind him, staring at the back of his head, I could feel my heart pounding in my head. My mind was in panic mode, telling me to grab his sleeve, to pull him back, to stop him before he walked out the gate. I managed to move my hand, but when I realized his shirt was between my fingertips, my mind went blank. My stupid brain wouldn’t comply with the rest of my body. 

He turned around, in what felt like slow motion, and his warm brown eyes met mine. I gasped. No words would come out. 

My heart seemed like it was trying to fly away. I gripped my skirt with my other hand and I knew I couldn’t do it. I knew I couldn’t watch that small smile on his lips slip away. I couldn’t watch as his demeanor towards me change and become someone I didn’t know. 

“Orihime, what is it?”

“I-I... uh... oh... g-good luck in college.” I smiled but I knew it was shaky.

He looked concerned before easily giving me a soft smile. 

“Thanks. Same to you.”

The shirt slipped away, and I felt a bigger distance begin to form between us. I wouldn’t be going to the same college as him. This was my final chance and it was over. My heart clenched, and it physically hurt to watch his back grow smaller and smaller.

I wanted to tell him. I wanted to do it, the most out of anything, but I wanted him to stay the same more. I didn’t want to change us. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if I couldn’t be by his side anymore. I sighed and hung my head. I let out an unsteady breath as I fought back the tears that clung to my eyes. I walked slowly to my apartment prolonging the inevitable loneliness that waited for me. 

In my room, I hugged my knees and felt the warm tears slide down my cheeks. 

I didn’t know it would be like this. I didn’t know that after my conviction to keep my feelings to myself, that my heart would decide to break. It wasn’t instantly or all at once. It went slowly. It disintegrated into pieces day by day. 

My classes didn’t start for another two weeks so all I had to occupy my mind was work. I looked around my room and noticed my running shoes. 

Yeah, a run should clear my thoughts. 

It was a warm day and I didn’t have much of an appetite these days so when I took off towards the park, I should have known it wasn’t such a great idea. I was running and the pavement beneath me began to feel harder. My legs felt like jelly and I should have stopped but the burning in my lungs distracted me from the pain seizing my heart, so I pushed on. 

It was a blur when I tripped and rolled down the grassy hill off the jogging trail. I landed at the bottom by the river. My knee stung from the fall, but it was hard to concentrate on that while trying to regain control over my breathing. 

After a moment I looked up to the sky and felt comfort from the heat of the sun. It wrapped around my skin, calming my thoughts. The fluffy white clouds drifted east, and they looked so beautiful as they floated effortlessly across the blue sky.

For that instant I desired to be those clouds, so I could wander far away from here. To see the world and not have to feel. But the heat brought me back to where I was. No, I don’t want to be a cloud. I want to be the sun, so I could touch everything, everyone… him…


	2. We're Friends

Orihime hummed to herself as she finished her shift at the bakery. She cleaned the counters when her head began filling with Ichigo’s words after Rukia’s wedding. It had been a couple of weeks since, but s¬he was still trying to wrap her mind around what Ichigo meant by making time for him. It didn’t help that he had yet to reach out to her. Did he need help with homework? With his family? Did he need advice on dating! She shook her head. No, she wouldn’t go there.

Maybe he changed his mind? Orihime shrugged as she placed the dry ingredients back on the shelves.

Orihime had not seen Ichigo much since high school. College and work were to blame. They were both busy and it was the wedding that actually brought them together again, if only for a short time. The distance had given Orihime time to reflect on her feelings for Ichigo. She still kept him close to her heart, but she had decided she would not confess because of her unwillingness to change what they had. They were close friends and maybe that was all they were meant to be. She just wanted him to be happy.

Orihime sighed as she continued to finish her work. It had been so long since she had thought this much about Ichigo. The two years she had spent living her life had done Orihime a lot of good. She was taking a few classes at a local college and worked as many hours at the bakery as possible. She enjoyed being busy and occupying her mind with studying. In her free time, she would hang out with her friends from work. The hope she felt that Ichigo would finally notice her as more than a friend started slipping further and further from her mind. 

Outside the shop Ichigo was pacing in circles waiting for Orihime. He was finally ready to talk to her, so he got off from work early to meet her at the bakery. Ever since his little talk with Renji he couldn’t stop thinking about how he would approach Orihime. Every time his thumb hovered over the send button on his phone he would freeze. He knew his actions would change everything between them. 

He roughly leaned on the wall letting out a puff of air. His eyes flew open when he realized she could already have a boyfriend. He had never asked her if she did and if so, he should let her be. No matter how he felt he wouldn’t get in the way of her happiness. He warred with himself on whether he should leave now or wait.

“Ichigo?”

He turned around to see Orihime.

“Oh h-hey Orihime.” He chuckled rubbing the back of his neck. He struggled to find a reason to why he was waiting for her but couldn’t so taking her home seemed like the most reasonable thing to offer. “Want me to walk you home?” 

Orihime blinked a few times trying to understand what was going on. She wondered why Ichigo had come to her job and to just walk her home? She smiled realizing it didn’t really matter to her. She was just excited to see him.

“Sure!”

They walked in comfortable silence for a few blocks.

“How was work?”

“It was busy but a lot of fun! My boss let me try my own brownie recipe today and he said it was so good that he would sell them in the store next week! You should come by and try some. They’re pretty good.” She smiled looking down at her shoes. 

“Yeah, okay I will.” 

Her eyes widened for a moment surprised by his answer. She looked up to see a small smile on his lips. It was hard trying not to be affected by him.

They were in front of her door by now and she felt a little forward asking him inside, but she sensed he probably came to talk to her. Well she was making time for him now so maybe he would finally tell her what it was he needed from her. 

“Do you want to come inside?”

He nodded once. 

She led him inside her apartment and closed the door behind them as she became slightly nervous. Once their shoes were off their eyes met at the same time and Orihime gasped looking at her kitchen.

“Y-you must be starving! Let me make you something to eat! Have a seat wherever you like!” Orihime was speaking far too loudly but Ichigo didn’t comment on it. He sat at the kitchen table staring at Orihime as she busied herself looking in her refrigerator.

“It’s fine Orihime, you don’t have to trouble yourself.” He tried to sound sincere, but he really didn’t want to fall victim to one of her concoctions. 

“It’s no trouble really!” She started working on making rice and found the dish she had made last night. Perfect, she thought as she started heating up the food.

Surprisingly, Ichigo did not die and was pleased to find her cooking was tasty. Orihime had on occasion helped cook at his family’s house, but now, left to her own devices, she was still a good cook. 

Thank God, Ichigo silently thought. 

Orihime cleared the table and began washing the dishes. She felt Ichigo at her side and her hands started to tremble. No, why does he have to stand so close?

“I’ll help you.”

Throughout their meal they kept a small conversation about work and school but now being close to each other was causing awkwardness. Orihime shook her head and found her resolution. She was determined to not make him feel uncomfortable just because he didn’t feel the same. She would be a good friend to him and try her hardest to keep their bond. She took and deep breath and started another easy conversation about his family, asking how they had been and what their plans were for the future.

Ichigo was thankful that Orihime took the lead on making conversation. He was still at a loss on how to make his feelings for her clear.

Orihime washed the last plate looking to her left at Ichigo. She took this moment to take in his features. Since high school he had grown slightly taller, his face had the faintest trace of stubble, and his orange hair was longer. The strands at the nape of his neck touched the collar of his shirt passing it by an inch. She handed Ichigo the plate to dry. Their fingers brushed against each other for the briefest moment but they both still felt a small jolt run through their bodies. Both became too embarrassed to look at each other. 

Orihime, still wanting to keep things light, hopped up on the counter as she watched Ichigo dry the last plate. She couldn’t believe the same hands that held so much power and saved countless lives were surprisingly gentle. Her eyes landed back at the nape of his neck, having an incredibly strong urge to reach out and run her fingers through his hair. They were friends. Friends could touch each other’s hair, right? Feeling bold and knowing her intentions from here on out were only platonic, she timidly reached out and touched the strands of hair.

“Orihime?” Ichigo felt a small thrill go through him when he felt her cool fingertips on his neck. 

“Ehh!? Oh! I’m sorry I was just… I mean you’ve let your hair grow out.” She withdrew her hand to her lap. 

“Oh, yeah, I haven’t really had time to cut it lately. Sorry, it must look a mess.” Ichigo smiled sheepishly at Orihime as he ran his hand through his orange mane.

“Ah, n-no of course not! I actually like your long hair! Hm, I have an idea!” She lifted one finger in the air. “I could cut it for you, since you’re here.” 

“When did you learn to cut hair?” Ichigo looked genuinely surprised.

“Well this past summer a coworker of mine also worked at a hair salon and she needed some help, so I told her I could. She taught me how to cut men’s hair and we ended up bringing a lot of customers to her salon! It was great! Even Keigo became a regular and came every week!”

Ichigo watched how animated she became explaining in detail everything she had accomplished that summer. He did feel left out but decided not to mention it right away.

“Wow, Orihime you must be really good.” He smiled sincerely at her.

“Mm, thanks.” She felt heat rise in her face at his praise. She shook it off. Repeating in her mind that they were friends and only friends. “So, would you like to see my skills?” She smiled sweetly.

“Sure.” Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. 

Orihime came out of her bathroom holding multiple items. She placed them all on the kitchen counter. Ichigo was already seated in a chair in the middle of the floor. 

“Uh, Ichigo… your shirt…” Orihime didn’t know how to tell him that he should probably take his shirt off to minimize the amount of hair that would fall on him since she did not have a drape to protect his clothing. “Your shirt might get really dirty… I don’t have the right covering.”

Ichigo noticed Orihime’s pinkened cheeks and wondered why she seemed embarrassed. He was the one about to be half nude. He fought the heat that threatened to rise to his face.

“Oh, right. I can take it off.” He reached behind his back and pulled the shirt off placing it on the counter.

Orihime’s face started to heat rather quickly so she pushed the small towel she was holding towards him. Her eyes were closed so she ended up hitting him in the face.

“Here! This should keep you somewhat decent!”

Ichigo chuckled as he placed the towel around his shoulders.

“Like this?”

Orihime opened her eyes and nodded. She could still see all of his abs and chest but somehow with his shoulders covered she could look at him. She took a deep breath and grabbed a pair of hair cutting scissors snipping them once.

“Ready?”

“Do your worst.” He smiled.

If Ichigo had known what kind of predicament he was about to get himself into, he would have flat out denied her request to cut his hair, because sitting here in her kitchen, trying to keep his blood from running south, was one of the hardest things he had ever done.


End file.
